Touch
by RunicSiren
Summary: Seto remembered everything there was about her, only she was no longer his to remember. Seto/femRyou One-shot


I was writing the next chapter to Completion when this idea popped in my head and wouldn't let me finish. So, I decided to go ahead and write it so that my muse would be happy.

Also, a word of advice: never try to write a serious story while watching Comedy Central.

Disclaimer: Never was nor will be mine. Don't own Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde either.

Summary: Seto remembered everything there was about her, only she was no longer his to remember. Seto/femRyou

Rating: T (I don't really think this is bad enough to be M but if anyone thinks otherwise just let me know.)

Warning: femRyou, mentions of smut

Touch

A month ago Seto Kaiba's secretary had brought him coffee from a little restaurant that had just opened two blocks from Kaiba Corp. Ever since then he'd been addicted. He had fired her for it, which he'd later regretted because that meant he had to get it himself. Sure, there were other people he could send to get it, but he'd be damned if he let anyone know about his new weakness.

That was why he was now sitting in the restaurant reading his paper and waiting for the waitress to take his order. He was growing slightly annoyed. It was the first time in three weeks that he had to wait for the waitress. Seto had come in every morning at the same time, sat in the same seat, ordered the same thing, coffee black with a slice of banana nut bread, which he had also become addicted to, that his waitress eventually just started bringing it out almost as soon as he sat down. Today, however, he had been sitting for six minutes without any service. In fact, he didn't even see the girl who usually waited on him. What was her name again?

He turned the page of his paper just as he heard footsteps drawing near. _'Finally.'_

"Sorry, sir. Sasha got stuck in traffic this morning so we're short staffed this morning. Your usual is…" But her voice trailed off as he lowered his paper. "Seto?"

The young CEO finally looked at her, realizing why her voice was so familiar. "Ryou." It was barely a whisper. He felt his heart begin to beat faster even as he tried to take on his usual mask of indifference.

They stared at each other for a moment until finally Ryou smiled that sweet smile. He felt his lips twitch upwards but fought it. It had been a natural reaction for him when they were together. Even after two years she still affected him. "It's good to see you again, Kaiba-san."

He flinched slightly, trying to cover it up by closing his paper. Everyone else had always called him Kaiba-san; she had always just called him Seto. It hurt to hear it change, but he wouldn't show it. After all, many things had changed in the last two years, if not for him, then for her. "You too, Ryou."

She took a stand of that beautiful snow white hair and began flipping it end over end between her fingers. It was a nervous habit she still hadn't broken. "How have you been?" she asked, her voice slightly timid.

He nodded, staring down at the front page of his paper. "Good. The company has been growing well. We're going to hold another tournament soon."

She nodded but otherwise remained quiet. Seto wanted to ask her, but he wasn't supposed to care anymore. She had left him, crushing him and Mokuba. For a long time he had been so angry with her, but one night Mokuba had sat him down and finally beaten into his head the things Ryou had told him when she had left. She had still loved him, but not even that love could counteract the sorrow she felt at being left alone all the time while he worked. That's all he had done at the end of their relationship. There were signs, warnings, but he never listened to them. When the choice was between Ryou and work, work had always come first.

So Seto took the moment to study her. She looked the same, slightly more mature, but overall the same. The string that tired her apron rested gently on her hips, hips that when kissed would make her bite her bottom lip just so. The hand that was not busy flipping hair carried her order pad, which she clutched to her chest. He remembered that the slightest touch there at just the right moment would be rewarded with the most beautiful gasp. Her neck was still bare, just like it always had been. A kiss or a light bite to her pulse there would result in a breathy sigh that took his own breath away.

"Banana bread and black coffee, right?" she asked, breaking his thoughts. He only nodded and she turned to head into the kitchen.

Ryou, the woman who had haunted his dreams for two years. Ryou, the woman he still loved, but had been too selfish to keep. Ryou, the only woman he had given himself to fully. Ryou, Ryou, Ryou… Her name just kept flickering through his head.

"Here." She placed the coffee and bread in front of him. As her hand slipped from under the plate he saw it. It was beautiful, small, but in just a way that suited her.

"You're engaged?" He could barely believe the words coming out of his mouth. It was then he realized that all this time he had been hoping that she would come back, hoping that there was some way he could win her affection again. He knew things would be different if he had a second chance, but when she blushed and nodded, all those hopes came crashing down around him. "Who?"

"Yugi." The way she said his name, such affection, his heart clenched.

"I thought he was dating Anzu." He would give anything at this point for it to be a dream, for it to not be true.

Ryou nodded again. "He was, but when she opened her dance studio in America their relationship began to fall apart." She didn't give any more details. She knew he didn't want them.

He nodded, picking up his coffee. "I hope you two are happy together."

Ryou smiled sadly, shaking her head slightly as she turned. She knew he didn't really mean it. Yes, he wanted her to be happy, but not with Yugi. She knew he wouldn't begrudge her though. They had been through too much together.

"Ryou," he called after her. When she stopped and looked over her shoulder he asked, "Why haven't I seen you in here before?"

"I'm usually in the kitchen, cooking. I only came out to work the floor today because Sasha is late." And that was it. The last words she spoke to him. But at last he had an answer for why he was so addicted to the coffee. It was her coffee.

/

When he walked into his office a half hour later there was already a stack of mail waiting for him. On top of that pile was an envelope, the address written in a hand he knew as well as his own. He opened it slowly, knowing what it was.

The first thing to slip out was a letter, written in the same hand that had addressed the envelope.

_Seto,_

_I know it's strange to receive something like this from your ex, and I know there isn't much chance of you accepting, but I feel I still had to send you one. I just had to let you know, I didn't do this to hurt you. I did it because of what we once shared. I once loved you, with all my heart. I think a small part of me still does, but no longer in the way I once did. I hope you find happiness. You deserve it._

_~Ryou_

'_Only Ryou would think I still deserve happiness after all I've done to her.' _He pulled the second piece of paper from the envelope and just as he thought, it was a wedding invitation.

Ryou was right, he wouldn't be accepting it. Still…

He copied down the return address before pulling something out of his desk drawer. He wrapped it neatly and wrote down the address, handing it over to his secretary before going back to work.

He found it somewhat strange but didn't dwell on it. He no longer had a craving for coffee and banana bread.

/

"Ryou, you have a package," Yugi said as he walked into their house. He had purchased it with his tournament winnings, the rest either being invested into upgrade for the shop, which was still right next door, or paying for the wedding.

"Really? Who's it from?" Ryou asked, peeking out from the kitchen where she had been cooking.

"It looks like it's from Kaiba." He walked over to her, gently bending down to kiss her lips as he handed her the package. Yugi had grown in the last two years, now standing a full inch taller than Ryou.

Ryou swiftly kissed him back, taking the package. "What could he be sending me?"

"Maybe it's something you left over there," Yugi said idly as he wondered into the kitchen, only to have his hand slapped with a spoon when he reached for a dinner role.

"I just took those out. Let them cool," she said setting down the spoon and picking up the package again. "If it was something I had left he would have sent it back to me by now."

"Well, then you're just going to have to open it. Ouch!"

"I told you they were hot! Honestly, Yugi." Ryou just shook her head as her fiancé quickly downed a glass of water to cool his mouth. She turned her attention back to the package, carefully unwrapping it. Ever since she was a child she had always tried to open packages without ripping the paper.

When the paper was finally removed Ryou let out a soft 'oh,' causing Yugi to walk over to her. "What is it?"

"The Strange Cases of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; it's my favorite book," she said almost reverently, flipping through the pages. A note slipped out and onto the kitchen table. Ryou picked it up, her hand shaking ever so slightly. Yugi wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. Ryou leaned into his strong embrace, grateful for his support.

_For your wedding. _

_I wasn't lying when I said I hope you find happiness._

_~Seto_

Ryou smiled at the card, placing it back inside the book. "Thank you, Seto."

Yugi kissed her neck gently. Unable to stop herself, Ryou let out a soft sigh. Finally, Ryou knew she would belong completely to Yugi. No longer would she be haunted by Seto's touches.

/

And now that that's out of my head I can finish the next chapter of Completion. Well, after I get some rest. It's almost 4 a.m. here. I checked for mistakes but I probably missed a lot since I'm so tired, so I'll check it again sometime later. I just really wanted to get this posted before I went to bed. Let me know what you think!


End file.
